Sundar Pichai noted that satisfaction with AI-generated overviews is rising, and Google plans to continue refining the experience throughout the year.
Google has processed “billions of queries” with its generative AI features and plans to “expand the types of queries we can serve our users” even further, according to Alphabet/Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who spoke during the Q1 2024 Alphabet earnings call.
Pichai highlighted that AI overviews, introduced by Google in the U.S. in late March and in the UK earlier in the month for a limited subset of queries, have led to increased Search usage:
“In our testing, we are encouraged to see a rise in Search activity among those who use the new AI overviews and greater user satisfaction with the results.”
During the Q&A segment, Pichai was repeatedly asked about changes in search behavior and user engagement with Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE). He said: “In general, we’ve always found that monetization tends to follow when things work well on the organic side. The trends we observe generally carry over successfully. With generative AI in Search and our AI overviews, I think we’ll be able to serve a broader range of queries to our users.”
He continued, “We can now address more complex questions across various categories. Although it’s still early, we are cautiously prioritizing the user experience, but we’re optimistic about what this transition means.”
“We are seeing increased engagement, but this is a gradual process. Taking a step back, there were a lot of questions last year, but we were always confident that we’d be able to improve the user experience.
“Some people questioned whether these new features would be expensive, but we’re very confident in managing the costs. Concerns about latency were also raised, but when I look at our progress regarding efficiency, I’m reassured.”
“There were also questions about monetization. Based on our testing, I am confident we can successfully navigate this monetization shift. It will unfold over time, but I’m optimistic about our position.”
Why it matters: All indications suggest that Google is gradually transforming into a Search Generative Experience. Given how underwhelming AI overviews can be, I wonder if user satisfaction is rising. However, I’m not the typical Google user, so remember that this was an earnings call—where Pichai is skilled at talking a lot without revealing much. If you still find this transition complex and puzzling, look at our monthly SEO packages and let the experts guide you.
